Turkey for Thanksgiving? Yes, and Pork Shoulder

It is a Thanksgiving truth (almost) universally acknowledged that turkey is...just okay. It can begood, sure. Prepared lovingly and cooked with care? Definitely. But as an entrée, turkey will almost never begreat. This fact unites us.

But what divides us is what we do with this information. On one side you have the Traditionalists, the Turkey Apologists, those who insist that it just wouldn’t be Thanksgiving without it. On the opposite side are the Radicals, the Insurrectionists, those who would banish the bird from the table altogether and replace it with a protein with real appeal—aham, say, or arib roast, or some other celebratory centerpiece that is more intrinsically delicious.

Working in food media, I’ve watched this heated either/or debate play out year after year. And I’ve always found it pretty baffling. Because it’s a false dichotomy—the Thanksgiving main doesn’t have to beeither/or. To borrow from the lexicon of improv comedy, it can (and should) beyes, and.Yes, you must serve a turkey,andyou can serve another, more crowd-pleasing entrée too.

Yes. And I couldn’t imagine Thanksgiving any other way.

For as long as I can remember, my family’s Thanksgiving spread has always featured two proteins. The turkey is always there, in its Rockwell-esque, looks-better-than-it-tastes glory. And there is also an undeniably-delicious platter of meat sitting right beside it, the real star of the show, the kind of entrée you’d serve if you were throwing a baller dinner party any other day of the year. A couple ofribeye steakscharred on the grill and carved into rosy slices. Fall-apartbraised brisketsmothered in chiles. Agently-cooked side of salmon. We make something different every year. And guess what? Nobody ever complains about it.

Yes, the second protein is more work. But I would argue that Thanksgiving is soextrato begin with that adding one more dish doesn’t feel like that big of a deal, especially if you have willing and able helpers. (Bonus: Making a second protein allows you to get amore manageable, sane-sized turkey.)

All you have to do is strategize. A braise is, by far, the most foolproof option—you can cook the whole thing the day before, and simply reheat and platter it just before dinner time. Relatively quick-cooking proteins that can be dispatched on the grill are also great bets, keeping the second protein out of the fracas of the kitchen entirely. Regardless of what direction you go in, the key is to fit the second protein into your Turkey Day game plan. (Not the type of person whomakesa Turkey Day game plan? The second protein might not be for you.)

This year, I’m going to make thesedry-rubbed pork shoulder steaksto backup our holiday bird. I’ll coat them with a sweet-salty-smoky spice blend the day before, and let them sit in the fridge until the turkey is almost finished. I’ll give them a good hard sear in a hot pan and then pop them into the oven right after the bird comes out, allowing them to slowly come up to temperature while I get the gravy in order. When the time comes, people will put a little turkey on their plate, but they’ll mostly fill it with the sides and the pork. That’s how it is when you have a second protein in the mix: Turkey Day isn’t Thanksgiving anymore. It’s the day after.